Wine & War in the peninsulaR

Following on from our previous wine and war tours, Clive Harris and Bob Brook from the Wine Buffs group, along with club member and military historian Tom Dormer, invite you to a tour of Spain & Portugal. Starting in Lisbon and ending in Madrid, our 2025 club tour will visit several key battlefields along the route, including Talavera and Salamanca, alongside visits to wineries and cultural locations.

Limited to just 20 spaces the tour will be arranged by Battle Honours Ltd, a longstanding tour operator who are Atol protected and members of the Travel Trust Association.

Tour Dates: 13 – 18 July 2025

Price Per Person: £1725:00
Deposit: £300:00
Non Flight Price: £1475:000
Single Supplement: £180:00

Included –

• Return scheduled flights from London to Lisbon returning Madrid to London
• Hotel as follows: 2 nights Lisbon, 2 nights Salamanca,1 night Talavera, • Portuguese coach and driver throughout, all fuel and tolls
• 2 x Winery visits
• 1 x Wine tasting and Olive Oil tasting
• Gourmet lunch and wine tasting in Talavera
• Cocktail Reception at a reciprocal club Gremio Literario in Lisbon

Key Information

Following on from our club tours to the Champagne Region, the Loire Valley, and the Dardanelles, 2025 focuses on the rich wine and military history of Spain and Portugal. With visits to vineyards, boat trips and exploring excellent local produce, this trip will uncover centuries of history alongside the magnificent food and wine culture of the local area.

As in previous years the tour will be led by club wine buff members Bob Brook and and Clive Harris and they will be assisted by club member Tom Dormer, a fellow club member and military historian who specialises in both the Peninsula and Spanish Civil Wars.

Wednesday 16 July

Itinerary

Sunday 13th July

The tour begins at Heathrow and a scheduled flight to Lisbon, after being met by our coach and driver, before checking into our Lisbon hotel overnight.

Monday 14 July

We start our history with a study of the fascinating battles at Rolica and Vimeiro, close to Lisbon, these memorable victories in August 1808 by Arthur Wellesley’s Anglo Portuguese forces over the French led to the Cintra Convention. We then the Casa Santos Lima winery for a tasting before returning to Lisbon and an evening cocktail reception at the hostoric Gremio Liteario Club.

Tuesday 15 July

This morning, we transfer to Ciudad Rodrigo (3hours) to study the battlefield, where in January 1812, Wellingtons overwhelming force besieged the French Garrison before breaching the city walls. We also visit a local winery before checking into our Salamanca hotel in the Plaza Major for a two night stay.

In the morning, we study the Salamanca battle of July 1812, a further outstanding victory for Wellington despite heavy losses on both sides before free time to explore the historic city with its numerous tapas bars and reataurants. Overnight Salamanca

Thursday 17 July

In the morning, we transfer to Talavera (3 hours), a stunning journey over mountains that reveals glimpses of an incredible Roman Road. On arrival in Talavera a gourmet lunch is taking overlooking the battlefield before checking into a rural spa retreat (spa facilities included) .

We end the day with a wine and olive oil tasting, overnight in Talavera.

Friday 18 July

After a visit to Talavera battlefields, where in July 1809 an Anglo Spanish force met the French in a bloody costly battle we transfer to Madrid for onward flights to the UK.

Day 1

Scheduled flights from London to Istanbul. Transfer to Gallipoli by coach to the Hotel Grand Anzac in Canakkale.

This is a 4 hour transfer on a fully air-conditioned coach. We will stop off for a short snack/toilet break halfway through the journey.

All our transfer coaches have Wi-Fi and complimentary bottled water on board.

Monday 12 May 2025 – Anzac Day

The best way to study an amphibious landing is by boat. Our morning will be spent studying the Gaba Tepe from the sea before we come ashore to walk from Beach Cemetery, via Shrapnel Valley up to the heights of Plugges Plateau, the first ridge captured by the Anzac’s on 25 April 1915.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue the Anzac advance from the Second Ridge at Lone Pine, to the furthest advance of the Australian and New Zealand troops on that first day of the landing. This walk will take us over Pine Ridge, down into Legge Valley and up onto the Third Ridge (Gun Ridge), the final objective of the covering force, ending the walk at Mustafa Kemal’s command post on the Scrubby Knoll.

Tuesday 13 May 2025 – Helles Day

Beginning the morning on the top of Achi Baba, where we will experience panoramic views of the Helles battlefield, we will descend down to the beaches. Next stop is Erturgal Fort, trenches and the Ottoman memorial to Sgt Yahya, all overlooking V Beach. We will visit V Beach CWGC Cemetery, the spit of rock where the River Clyde came shore, all under the shadow of Seddulbahir Fort. We will then advance up through the village to Doughty-Wylie’s Grave, and then the Helles Memorial.

After lunch at V Beach Café, we will walk from the French artillery battery onto Hunter-Weston Hill and then Lancashire Landing CWGC Cemetery. From there we will visit W Beach to recount the story of the 6 VC’s Before Breakfast before ascending onto Hill 114 to explore the old base-camp of the MEF.

We end the day with visit to the Bengodi/Asmadan Vinyard for a tasting flight (foot passage ferry option for non-winers).

Wednesday 14 May 2025 – Gully Ravine Day

We will spend the whole day exploring Gully Ravine, starting at the Ottoman Nuri Yamut Memorial we will walk across the seaward cliffs to Gurkha Bluff, just above Y Beach. We will continue along Gully Spur, visiting Geoghegan’s Bluff and the football field for lunch. We will then continue to follow the ravine to Gully Beach. Exiting the ravine we will walk along the West Krithia to finish the day at Pink Farm CWGC Cemetery.

Thursday 15 May 2025 – Suvla Day

We will begin the morning on the once hotly contested Scimitar Hill (Hill 70) before following the Ottoman trench lines on to the top of the W Hills where we will get excellent views of both the Suvla and North Anzac battlefield. Walking down to Hetman Chair and Dead Man’s Gully, we will finish at Chocolate and Green Hill.

After a packed lunch at the museum in Buyuk Anafarta, we will walk from the Jandarma Memorial to Kidney Hill, Caribou Hill and then to Azmak CWGC Cemetery, also visiting the new Ottoman cemetery site on Kiretch Tepe. We will finish the day at Suvla Point and General Stopford’s HQ.

Friday 16 May 2025

Return to Istanbul or, Optional extension to the island of Imbros to explore the sites of Sir Ian Hamilton’s GHQ, Kephalos ‘K’ Beach, the Australian Field Bakery site, RNAS airfields and the journalist camp to name but a few.

Saturday 17 May 2025

Return to Istanbul for those who stayed for the optional day to Imbros.

Booking

Deposits can be paid via BACS transfer (IBAN if overseas) both account details are on the bottom of the booking form.

If you wish to pay by credit card, drop us an email and we will send you the relevant link.

Cheques can be made payable to “Battle Honours Ltd”